Apparatus for staining the margins



Jan. 16, 1934. E. J. MOLYNEAUX APPARATUS FOR STAINING THE MARGINS OF SHEET BLANKS Filed Feb. 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l @will i mw) @ff W mymlql .E ww um, |11 lr@ fr@ l NMWHHH.. ...,.HHHHHHHMHHHHHHHHH- ,2. f H Nm GN. m. a

Jan. 16, 1934. E J, MOLYNEAUX 1,943,450

APPARATUS FOR STAINING THE MARGIS OF SHEET BLANKS Jan. 16, 1934. E.;J. MOLYNEAUX APPARATUS FOR STAINING THE MARGINS OF SHEET BLANKS Filed Feb. 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 16, 1934. E. J. MOLYNEAUX APPARATUSAFOR STAINING THE MARGINS OF SHEET BLANKS Filed Feb. 16, 1933 4 SheetS-Sheef. 4

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| l o @ll l O I O 0 i I o ZI l l li o O o l I O js o o o o l o o o O n of o OO o r L O s o o 1 #l O l 53| Oo l l E l'avaw/f/Vo/Iau E O E Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED sTATEs APPARATUS FOR STAINING THE MARGINS SHEET BLANKS Edward J. Molyneaux, Barberton, Ohio, assignor to The Diamond Match Company, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application February 16, 1933. Serial No. 657,031

12 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for staining the margins of small sheet blanks, more particularly the blanks of wood veneer which are commonly used in the manufacture of the slides or covers of boxes for strike-on-box matches.

In the manufacture of such Vslides or covers rectangular blanks of veneer, suitably scored for bending, are stained along their longitudinal edges with a dye liquor of suitable color, usually r'ed; each blank is then bent into cover form to present stained ends, and a paper label is wrapped about the hollow structure and cemented thereto in a manner to maintain the proper formation of the cover while exposing the stained ends of the latter.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of simple and efficient construction whereby the margins of large quantities of lcover blanks can be rapidly and uniformly stained.

To this end the invention embodies features of novelty and combinations of parts,. which will be hereinafter described; the scope of the invention being expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the principle of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section of the apparatus, as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section, as on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the central portion of the apparatus, at the inner ends of the respective tanks, showing the gripper mechanism as released from an inverted bundle of blanks in a holder of the travelling carrier and as engaged with a bundle in the-next succeeding holder preparatory to the reversal of the latter bundle.`

Fig. 6 is a sectionaldetail of one of the grippers, and adjuncts.

Fig. 'l is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the second dipping tank, showing the carrier therein; the curved track for the upper run of the carrier, and succeeding bundles of cover blanks in their travel through the tank.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of a guide track, showing a part of the carrier chain and a holder thereon.

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section as on the f; line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Fig'. 10 is a View of a box cover formed from a blank having stained longitudinal edges.

Referring to the drawings, designates a suitable frame structure upon which are supported dye-liquor containing means having two (Cl. lll-46) longitudinally dipping zones, which means may comprise one or a plurality of elongated tanks. Preferably two tanks 16 and 1'1 are supported in spaced endwise relation on the structure, and a liquor supply tank 18 is supported beneath the tank 17.

19 designates a pump located adjacent the inner end of the supply tank and driven by a suitable motor 20. In the present instance a rotary pump is operatively connected with an electric motorby sprocket gearing 21.

A pipe 22 connects the interior of the supply tank with the inlet to the pump, and two discharge pipes 23 extend from the pump and deliver the liquor into the open tops of the respective tanks 16 and 17. The pump has a capacity in excess of the liquor requirements oi'. the dipping tanks, which tanks are provided with overiiow pipes 24 leading tothe supply tank. Thus a uniform liquid level in the two dipping tanks is ensured. By increasing or decreasing the height of the overflow pipes within the dipping tanks, a predetermined liquid level can be readily effected.

Each of the tanks 16 and 1'1 has a drain pipe 25 for use in emptying the tank preparatory to its being replenished with fresh liquor, as need may require. The two drain pipes are connected by a pipe 26 and these pipes are provided with suitable valves 2'?, so that the level of the liquor in both tanks can be attained, and the delivery by the pump of uniform volumes of liquor to the respective tanks be ensured.

Each of the dipping tanks is also equipped with bottom steam coils 28 to keep the liquor at a suitable temperature for elcient impregnation of cover blanks edgewise presented thereto. i

A continuously moving carrier which extends along the tops of the two dipping tanks is provided at intervals throughout its length with suitable means for supporting compact bundles of cover blanks and transporting them in spaced relation along the top of the liquid contents of the tanks.

In the present instance the carrier comprises two endless chains 29 which are arranged in 34, and each holder being so proportioned that a large quantity of uniform cover blanks, (approximately 320)V closely and evenly packed face to face, can be manually inserted into or withdrawn from the holder with the longer edges of the blanks extending parallel, or substantially so, with the path of the adjacent portion of the carrier.

The upper runs of the two carrier chains are supported in their travel somewhat above the gap between the two dipping tanks by a pair of parallel cross-bars 35 having legs 36 which are supported on the frame structure. The carrier chains have suflicient slackness to enable the upper runs thereof in their travel to sag slightly into the liquor in the respective dipping tanks, and such tanks are provided with interior longitudinal track rails 37, generally in the form of a catenary curve, which support and guide the carrier chains in their travel through the tanks. Two spaced rails are provided in each tank for the upper runs of the respective chains, each rail having longitudinal ways 38 for lateral guide members 39 on the chain travelling thereon. The guide members are preferably formed by angle pieces secured to the links of the chain at intervals throughout its length.

The lower runs of the carrier chains are supported in their travel by curved guide plates 43 (Fig. 1) mounted on the inner ends of the two dipping tanks and such runs are engaged by a pair of spaced sprocket wheels 41 fast on a transverse driven shaft 42 having its bearings in standards 43 rising from a bed 44 secured to the main supporting structure in the gap between the two dipping tanks.

'I'he shaft 42 and also the shaft 31 at the outer end of the second dipping tank are connected with and operated by the motor 20 in any suitable manner to effect the uniform travel of the carrier throughout its circuit. In the present instance the shaft 42 has fast thereon a sprocket Wheel 45 which is connected by means of a chain 46 with a similar wheel 47 on the shaft 48 of ordinary reduction gearing that is associated with the shaft 49 of the motor; and another sprocket wheel 50 fast on the gear shaft 48 is connected by means of a chain 51 with a sprocket wheel 52 on the said shaft 31.

In the operation of the apparatus so far described, the upper run of the carrier travels from right to left, as viewed in Fig. 1, and therefore such run is caused gradually to dip into and rise from the liquor in the first dipping tank 16, then pass across the elevated support between the tanks, and then gradually dip into and rise from the liquor in the second tank 17.

A bundle of cover blanks is manually inserted in each succeeding holder on the carrier as the holder rounds the sprockets at the outer or right hand end of the first dipping tank, which assembled blanks progress with the carrier and the lower longitudinal edges of such blanks are slightly submerged for an interval in the liquid contents of the tank 16 so as to stain such edges. When the successive bundles of blanks are raised from this tank, 16, the bundles are inverted in their respective holders preparatory to their passage to the second tank 17. Hence when such blanks progress to and through the second dipping tank the uncolored longitudinal edges of the blanks are similarly submerged a slight distance in the liquor within the latter tank.

1,943,450 chains and having outwardly bent end portions.

Thereupon the bundles, with the individual blanks thereof stained along their upper and lower edges, are carried to and raised above the outer or left hand end of the second dipping tank, where they are manually or otherwise removed from the carrier,

The preferred mechanism for inverting the y travelling bundles of blanks in succession, preparatory to their passage to the second dipping tank, is as follows:

53 designates a pair of spaced disks arranged beyond the respective sides of the path of the bundle holders between the two dipping tanks, which disks are fast on the inner ends of coaxial horizontal shafts 54 journaled in bearings on the side standards 43.

The disks 53 are concurrently rotated, counter-clockwise, in timed relation to the carrier by means, for example, of sprocket wheels 55 which are fast on the respective shafts 54 and are connected by chains 56 with similar wheels 57 on the transverse chain-actuating shaft 42.

Each of the disks has secured thereto two tubes 58 which are parallel with the axis of rotation of the disk and are arranged diametrically opposite to each other and equi-distant from the center of the disk. In each of the tubes is slidably fitted a stem 59 having a gripper head 60 fast on its inner end and having a laterally projecting roll 61 adjacent its outer end. The roll is mounted to turn on a radial stud 62 projecting Ifrom the stem through a longitudinal slot 63 in the wall of the tube. A coil spring 64, which encircles the inwardly-extending portion of the tube and bears at its respective ends against the opposing disk and the head 60, presses the head and its stem normally toward the path of the cover blanks borne by the holders in the upper run of the carrier.

The side standards 43 are formed on their inner faces with segmental flanges 65 concentric with the respective disks, and on these flanges are fixed counterpart segmental cams 66 with which the rolls 61 of the stems 59 co-act at intervals during the rotation of the disks. The o uter or acting face of each cam 66 is parallel with the outer face of the adjacent disk, except at the up-standing end of the cam face which is first engaged by the roll. This end portion is beveled, as at 67, to receive the approaching roll and thus cam it (together with the associated spring pressed gripper stem), outwardly upon the extended face of the cam. The opposite up-standing end of thi's cam face terminates abruptly, so that immediately when the retracted roll escapes such' face the roll and gripper stem are snapped inwardly by the recoil of the spring. The ,extended face of the cam maintains the roll inA retracted position during approximately a half rotation of the disk. The rolls of the two gripper stems of eachv disk successively co-act with the opposing cam and are similarly retracted and released, it` being noted that complementary co-axial grippers are simultaneously actuated at the prescribed intervals.

The disks 53 and cams 66 are so arranged in co-operative relation that' as a bundle of cover blanks approaches the disks during the counterclockwise rotation of the latter, a pairof complementary grippers are retracted ybythe action of the respective cams, and then when the bundle reaches a central position'between them the retracted grippers are released. Such grippers thereupon firmly grasp and slightly compress the interposed bundle, and in their 'continued travel through an arc of about-18()n they lift released. The speed of the carrier in relation to that of the gripper disks is such that during the removal and reversal of each bundle by the grippers the same holder from which the bundle was removed is advanced to a position where the inverted bundle is re-deposited in such holder at the time the bundle is released by the grippers. Consequently the inverted bundle, with the uncolored edges of the blanks properly positioned for dipping, is conveyed by the carrier through the second dipping tank, and therein treated with dye liquor.

As one pair of grippers on the disks grasp and invert a bundle of cover blanks, the other pair of grippers are similarly operated to grasp and invert the bundle in the next succeeding holder of the carrier, and so on during the operation of the apparatus the bundles are inverted in their respective holders as they pass from one dipping tank to the other. (See Figs. 3, 4 and 5.) l

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular construction and organization herein disclosed, as modifications can be made within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim- 1. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising dye-liquor containing means alfording two elongated dipping Zones, an endless carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of said zones and having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, means whereby the carrier is deflected in its travel through each of said Zones to lower and raise the holders and their contained bundles in respect to the level of the liquor, and mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto in inverted position as the holder progresses from one zone to the other.

2. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising dye-liquor containing f means affording two elongated dipping zones, an

endless carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of said zones and having a succession of spaced 'ectd in its travel through each of said zones to lower and raise the holders and their contained bundles in respect to the level of the liquor, and mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto in inverted position as the holder progresses from one zone to the other, said mechanismA including rotary grippers and means for actuating said grippers in timed relation to the carrier.

3.1An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising dye-liquor. containing means aording two elongated dipping zones, an endless carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of said zones and having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, means whereby the carrier is deected in its travel through each of said zones to lower and raise the holders and their contained bundles in respect to the level of the liquor, and mechanism for removing ,each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto in inverted position as the holder progresses from onev zone to the other, said mechanism including spaced rotary members anking the path of the carrier, grippers mounted in said members for movement toward and from said path, means for rotating said members in timed relation to the carrier, and means for periodically actuating said grippers during the rotation of the members.

4. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising dye-liquor containing means affording two elongated dipping zones, an endless carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of said zones and having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, means whereby the carrier is deected in its travel through each of said zones to lower and raise the holders and their contained bundles in respect to the level of the liquor, and mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto in inverted position as the holder progresses from one zone to the other, said mechanism/including spaced rotary members flanking the path of the carrier, springpressed grippers having cam-engaging portions and mounted in' said members for movement toward and from said path, means for rotating said members in timed relation to the carrier, and stationary cams for periodically actuating said grippers during the rotation of the members.

5. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising'dye-liquor containing means affording two longitudinal dipping zones, an endless carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of said zones and having aI succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of verticallydisposed blanks, means for elevating the carrier in its passage between the two dipping zones, guides for the upper run of the carrier in its passage through the respective zones whereby the carrier is lowered and raised in each zone to present the lower edges of the blanks to the dye-liquor, and mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto in inverted position as the holder progresses from one zone to the other.

6. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising dye-liquor containing means aording two longitudinal dipping zones, an endless carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of said zones and having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of verticallydisposed blanks, means for elevating the carrier in its passage between the two dipping zones, guides for the upper run of the carrier in its passage through the respective zones whereby the carrier is lowered and raised in each zone to present the lower edges of the blanks to the dyeliquor, and mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto in inverted position as the holder progresses from one zone to the other, said mechanism including rotary grippers and means for actuating said grippers in timed relaspectivc tanks and to sag into and to rise from the interior of each of said tanks, an elevated support for the carrier in its travel between the respective tanks, and means for inverting each succeeding pile of blanks as it progresses from one tank to the other.

8. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising two dipping tanks in spaced endwise relation, an endless carrier having a succession of' spaced holders for compact bundles of 'vertically-disposed blanks, said carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of the respective tanks and to sag into and to rise from the interior of each of said tanks, guide rails for the carrier in the respective tanks, an elevated support for the carrier in its travel between the respective tanks, and means for inverting each succeeding pile of blanks as it progresses from one tank to the other.

9. An apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, comprising two dipping tanks in spaced endwise relation, a liquor supply tank, feed connections between said supply tank and the dipping tanks, means whereby a uniform liquid level in the dipping tanks is maintained, an endless carrier having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, said carrier mounted to travel longitudinally of the respective dipping tanks and to sag into and to rise from the interior of each of said tanks, guide rails for the carrier in the respective dipping tanks, an elevated support for the carrier in its travel between the respective dipping tanks, and means for inverting each succeeding pile of blanks as it progresses from one dipping tank to the other.

10. In an apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, the combination with a carrier having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, of mechanism for removing leach succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto as the holder progresses, said mechanism including rotary grippers and means for actuating said grippers in timed relation to the carrier.

1l. In an apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, the combination with a carrier having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, of mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto as the holder progresses, said mechanism including spaced rotary members flanking the path of the carrier, grippers mounted in said members for movement toward and from said path, means for rotating said members in timed relation to the carrier, and means for periodically actuating said grippers during the rotation of the members.

12. In an apparatus for staining the margins of sheet blanks, the combination with a carrier having a succession of spaced holders for compact bundles of vertically-disposed blanks, of mechanism for removing each succeeding bundle of blanks from its holder and returning it thereto as the holder progresses, said mechanism including spaced rotary members flanking the path of the carrier, spring-pressed grippers having cam-engaging portions and mounted in said members for movement toward and from said path, means for rotating said members in timed relation to the carrier, and stationary cams for periodically actuating said grippers during the rotation of the members.

EDWARD J. MOLYNEAUX.

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